Effect of mixture of fining agents on the fermentation kinetics of base wine for sparkling wine production: Use of methodology for modeling

Abstract

The aim of this study was evaluating the combined effect of three enological fining agents (activated charcoal, bentonite, and polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP)) on the fermentation kinetics of two Merlot grape musts used for making base wine for sparkling wine production, utilizing a simplex centroid design. The kinetic parameters were obtained mathematically from the equation of five-parameter logistic (5PL) that are modeled by the production of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a function of time. The combined application of these fining agents positively contributes to improved fermentation kinetics, increasing the maximum CO2 production rate (Vmax) without negatively affecting other parameters. The maximum CO2 production was unchanged between treatments, and the time at which Vmax occurs was only affected by bentonite. The optimized proportions of the additives were similar and the presence of 50% charcoal within the mixture improved the fermentation kinetics for both musts.